Where did this month go???

As always, we've been crazy busy these days. Both Mark and I have been traveling for work. Nina's basketball team just finished up their last game yesterday. We're looking forward to volleyball starting in a couple of weeks!!

Julia is full of energy these days and wanting to walk around holding onto our fingers. She can stand on her own if she doesn't realize she is doing it. Once she notices that we don't have her, she falls. She is also starting to eat more table food. Cheese is her favorite as are cheerios. Tonight was an experience with spaghetti noodles. She loved them but had a hard time getting the noodles in her mouth. We finally lowered her crib down too and the pic is from her standing in it for the first time lowered.

5th grade bball

Nina is in her 3rd year of playing bball. It's amazing how much she has improved these last 3 years. She can shoot the ball into the 10' goal with ease. Her first year, they had a 8' goal and she could barely get the ball to the rim. However, her team hasn't fared as well. They have won only one game this season. They are definitely improving as the season goes but so are the other teams. Pictures from Friday nights game.

Shrimp Bingo

It's that time of year again for the annual Shrimp Bingo night or as Mark calls it "Nerd Nite". Yes, it's a night for engineers to gather (approx 1200 of them) for a night of all you can eat shrimp, six games of bingo with prizes and of course, our favorite part, the open bar. The KC Engrs Club puts on this annual event as a fundraiser for scholarships. I cannot remember how many years I've been going but i lost count when i ran out of fingers... This year's event has to be the best though because for the first time in all these many years, I actually got BINGO!! Yes, i jumped from my seat, screamed as loud as i could BINGO to the crowd of 1200 engrs and clients. Ran up to the front of the room to have my card checked (god knows you don't want to NOT have a bingo, the shame....). Each games has 4 prizes so first come first serve. I was the second winner of game 3. So with the first prize already won (new 26" HDTV), i got a new blue ray disk player. I called Mark and said we need to go and buy some blue ray dvd's. So needless to say, i had a great time.

Party Arty

Last Sat night Mark and I went with our friends Steve and Beth to the 2009 Party Arty at the Nelson Atkins Museum. It's an annual fundraiser for the museum sponsered by young friends of the arts. The night featured a fashion show and music by the Nadas. The Nadas are a band from Iowa that plays at ISU frequently. Thus the main reason we went. We also got to look around at some of the exhibits in the new Bloch bldg. Of course the open bar was a big draw as well.

Rough morning

Julia fell asleep this morning in her highchair.

Just Chillin...

Nina and Julia hanging out.

Twilight

i haven't written in quite a while solely because i have become addicted to the Twilight Series. Have you read these books? They are written for high schoolers so it make them such an easy read that you can't put them down. Plus it's a very entertaining story. There are 4 books total that the storyline follows from page one of the first book straight thru the last page of the 4th book. So it is so hard to stop reading!! You just have to find out what happens next. Also some of my coworkers are reading the books as well so now we get together and talk about it. So addictive. :) I finished the last book last night so I thought i better up date the blog.

All is well and busy to start the year. Nina got all A's and B's on her 2nd quarter report card. yeah. She is doing very well in school. She also scored 97% on her MAPS test for math (that would be the basic skills test we all took many moons ago). So i couldn't be more prouder of that. I'm guessing she'll be in pre-algebra next year. Basketball season is in full swing now too. Her team is still learning and growing. They have won 1 out of 4 games this year so far. And that is already better than last season. Nina also went to vball camp over Christmas break and she is serving over hand already. Wow, I couldn't do that 'til about 8th grade.

Julia is just perfect. We're waiting for those two top teeth to break thru any day now. She sure is chewing on everything right now too. She is still stationary, content to sit and watch everyone and the pups. No signs of crawling or moving around but I'm sure our days are numbered. She does love to stand and hold our fingers. Just this week she has been holding on to us and taking steps. No balance yet but again, our days are numbered.....

Mark and I went to his holiday party last weekend. I like that they do this in Jan. Gives us something to look forward to. Plus his party is still small enough for an open bar. :) haha

That's about all for now. I'm crazy busy at work waiting on the economic stimulus plan to get passed. Our DOT clients all have big aspirations if this goes and of course it gives us quite a bit of work too.